Tess's Tale (The Chanel Series Book 3) by Donna Joy Usher Read Free Book Online

on. Lou the Brain does the book keeping so a lot of them are pointed at him .
    A sudden hope, so awful I couldn’t believe my brain had approved it, occurred to me. What if one of them killed Lou? My Mom would be free.
    ‘Dad’s standing firm by Lou and that’s keeping the hounds at bay for now.’
    ‘That must be pretty stressful.’
    ‘That’s not the worst of it.’ He turned away from the building and met my eyes. ‘That money was for the Corleonesi.’
    I stared at him. The what?
    ‘The Corleonesi are the head of the Sicilian Mafia. They’re vicious. Over the last fifteen years they’ve killed off all their opposition. We pay them support money but it’s really protection money, to stop them coming after us .’
    ‘But, they’re in Italy, aren’t they?’
    ‘That’s their base. A few years ago one of the Inzerillo brothers fled Italy. He made it as far as New Jersey. They say that Giuseppe Greco tracked him down.’
    ‘Who’s Giuseppe Greco?’
    ‘He’s the head of the Corleonesi Death Squad.’
    ‘They have a death squad?’
    Okay, now I was totally freaked out. I could feel my heart trying to climb out of my body to hide.
    ‘So the question is, how long before the Corleonesi send Giuseppe over to find out where their money is?’
    My brain started thinking about joining my heart. ‘They’ll come?’ My voice came out in a squeak.
    ‘Questions have been asked.’ His eyes became intent as he grasped my hands. ‘Marry me.’
    ‘Pardon?’ I was too busy being terrified to realise what he’d said.
    ‘Marry me.’ He pulled me onto his lap.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Because I love you.’
    Be still my beating heart. ‘I love you too. But why now?’
    ‘So that if something happens to me you’ll be looked after.’
    Looked after by the Mafiosi? Now that was something to look forward to.
    ‘Something like what happened to that Inzerillo fellow?’ I couldn’t bring myself to say the word dead because I couldn’t even think about something awful happening to Harry.
    He nodded his head.
    ‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘No. Don’t even think it.’ I put my hand over his mouth. ‘Don’t say it. Please don’t say it.’
    ‘Tess, we have to be practical.’
    ‘No.’ I struggled up off his lap and started to pace the small deck. ‘Why you? Why would it be you?’
    He shrugged his shoulders. ‘Because of who I am.’
    ‘But you don’t want to be a part of it. Do you?’
    He shook his head and held out a hand to me. When I took it, he pulled me down next to him. ‘I thought you’d jump at the chance to marry me, what with finally getting to lose your virginity.’
    ‘ That’s what you’ve been waiting for?’
    ‘Of course.’
    Is that what normal couples did? Waited? I guessed living with prostitutes my whole life had skewed my moral compass.
    ‘I have another idea,’ I said. ‘I’ll marry you.’
    ‘But that was my idea.’
    ‘Shush.’ I planted a kiss on his lips. ‘Marry me, but live here. Make a fresh start.’
    He stared at me with uncertainty written on his face.
    ‘What are you staying there for? You don’t use their money. You don’t want to be a part of the organisation. Live here, with me. And one day we’ll get our own home.’
    Hope blossomed in his eyes. ‘I could, couldn’t I?’
    I could almost taste his excitement.
    ‘Would Liss and Thor mind?’
    ‘No, of course not.’ I hoped not, anyway. If they did, we’d find our own house sooner.
    He pulled me back onto his lap and took my lips with his. When we came up for air a few minutes later my blouse had somehow gotten itself undone. ‘Oops,’ I said, making sure he copped an eyeful of bra before I re-buttoned it. Perhaps if he knew we were getting married I’d be able to seduce him before the big day.
    He grinned at me. ‘Nice try. But not until our wedding night.’
    Phooey.
    ‘I can’t afford to get you a ring. I mean I could, but not the sort of ring you deserve.’
    ‘Shhh.’ I lay one finger on his